Safety control for automatic gas appliances



May 8, 1923. 1,454,341

G. F. SCHWARTZ SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIC GAS APPLIANCES A 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1921 4Sheets-Sheet 1 0o no 0 f Til-9 A INVENTOR May 8, 1923. 1,454,341

G. F. SCHWARTZ SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIC GAS APPLIANCES File e 25 1921. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig-5 W if f! /waiuwzw 4 OHNE Y May 8, 1923. 1,454,341

- G. F. SCHWARTZ SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIC GAS APPLIANCES Filed Feb. 25 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 mii/ INVENTOI? i if G; F. SCHWARTZ SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIC GAS APPLIANCES Fi led Fe 25 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f iii ,jflfl INVENTOI? 'GERHARDT F. SCHWARTZ, on ST. LoUIs, mlssouer.

SAFETY CONTROL FOR 'AUTOMATIC GAS APPLIANCES.

- Application file d February 25,1921. Serial no. ae-e4...

To allwhom z'tmag concern:

Be it known that I, GERIIARDT F. SCHWARTZ, a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, .have' invented certain, Safety Controls for Automatic GasAppliances, of

new and useful Improvements in which the following-is a description.

. This invention relates to improvements in safety control forautomatic gas appliances and has for an object to efiect the closing of the main gas supply valve in automatic gas appliances, such as an automatic gas water heater, gas furnace, gas

steam boiler, radiator, gas stove, etc., in the event that the flame at the pilot burner be extinguished for any reason. Tothis end the invention proposes the use of a ther mostat arranged so as to actuate either directly or through the agency of' suitable mechanism, the main valve, which controls the supply of as to the main burner of the furnace wate heater or the pilot burner .when the flame of the pilot bgrner. is extin 'uished. I

ther objects will appear and be better understood from that embodiment ofmy invention of which the following is a speci-' fication, reference. being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof andin which: V

Figure l is a side elevation of one form I of the invention in use. Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of a odified form of control. Figure, 3 is a side elevation of a further modification; Figure 4 is a detail-side elevation. of a 'still further modification.

Figure 5 is a detail of a modified form of closer. Figure 11 is a view similar to Fig um 10 or a still furthermodifiedform of circuit closer. Figure 12 is a detail plan of modified form of thermostat. Figures 13 and 13 are detail plans of a still further modification of thermostat. Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view of a combined electric and thermostatic control. Figure '15 is a 'viewsimilar to view '14 of another modified form of electric and. thermostatic control. Figure 16 is a detail side elevation of a still further modified form of electric and-thermostatic controL- Figure17 is a detail side elevation of modified form of thermostatic. and mechanical control. Figure 18 is a furz ther modification of thermostatic and mechanical control. Figure 19 is a still fur ther modification of thermostatic and mechanical control. Figure 20 is-a perspective of the support sleeve on collar for the thermostatic element used in all of the above modifications. w

' In the form of the device illustrated 'in Figure 1, the tube 5, of the pilot burner A, carries at its upper end the usual tip. 6, below which is arranged the sleeve or collar 7, which /is suitably securedto the tube 5, in any preferred manner, as with the setv screw 8. The material for the collar or sleeve 7 ispreferably metal and a good conductor of heat, and the disposition of the sleeve is such that the same will receive an amount of heat directly from the flame at rthe tip 6,. and will also receive heat conducted thereto by tube 5. The laterally extending portion 9, of sleeve 7, is suitably provided with a socket which receives the upper end of the thermostat 10, which element is herein shown, as an oblong piece made up of two metals having different coefiicients and extending to the ledge '11, secured to and extending laterally from tube 5, and underlying the extension 9. Any combination of well known metals may be employed for thermostat 10, as for instance,

brass and steel- With the thermostat arranged as shown, brass layer on outside, steel I on lnside, known commercially as thermostatic metalythe louver end. thereof curves.

toward tube 5, when the thermostat is expanded by the action of heat, The ledge 11 Q l00 fornis a support for an angular shaped arm 12. When the thermostat 10 is in its normal position and extends vertically downvalve 18, which controls the flow. of gas to.

the appliance B and burner A and is connected at its lower end to a weight 19. A disc 20, of a diameter greater than the opening in the handle 17, for cable 16, is disposed between the handlel'? and arm 14, so

that upon disengagement of the latch 12 from ledge 11, followed by downward turning .or dropping'of arm 14 and lowering of cable 16, under action of;weight 19, disk 20 will strike arm 17, whereupon the continued pull of weight 19, will result in turning the handle 17 and closing valve 18.

In the modified form shown in Figure 2, the turning of the valve handle 21 is accomplished' directly by a bell'crank lever 22, pivotally connected at its opposite ends to handle 21 and arm 23 respectively. \Vhen latch 24 is disengaged by the thermostat, as described in connection with Figure 1, arm 23 and the parts connected thereto are moved downwardly by a weight 25 to which is connected a carriage in the form of loop 26, which embraces arms 23 and bell crank '22, and which is provided with a sheave 27, adapted to roll upon the side of arm 23, or the wire or loop 26 can be attached perma nently toarm 23. a j lln tjie form illustrated in Figure .3, the thermostat 28, is pivotally connected. at its lower end to an arm 29, which is supported in the horizontal by a support herein shown as a ringbolt 30, or its equivalent, which loosely receives the freeend. of arm 29, and

which is formed with a ledge 31, on which is disposed a wheel or roller 32, supporting a flexible element such as a length of cable 33; that extends through valve handle 34 and is attached at its lower end to a weight 35, and which is further provided at a point between-the ledge and the handle with a disc 36. In connection with this modification it will be observed that when the thermostat assumes itsnormal position, the arm 29 will be moved axially and strike the wheel 32, causing the same'to disengage by rolling from ledge 31, whereupon valve handle 34 will be turned as previously described.

a 1n the modified form shown in Figure 4, a ringbolt 37 supports one end' ofa tubular arm 38, the opposite end of which receives ledge 39, extending laterally from burner tube 5 and disposed at the lower end ofv thermostat 40. With this construction the thermostat 40 disengages arm 38 from ledge 39, whereupon ring .41 surrounding arm 38 moves downwardlywith the arm and lowers disc 42, carried by cable 43, into engagement with valve handle 44, after which handle 44 is turned by the pull of weight 45.

' In Figure 5 theparts are the same as described in connection'withFigure 4, except that cable 46 is attached to the end of valve 7 handle 47, with this construction the disc 42, described in connection with Figure 4, is omitted. "5

In Figure 6, the sleeve or collar 48 on tube A is constructed with a lateral socketso thatthermostat 49 is disposed horizontally. In this connection, and as shown in Figure 7, the angular .shaped extension 50 pivoted to arm 51, is engaged and supported by a thermostat 49, when the same is flexed by the heat of burner A; but disengages from the extension 50, inmoving to its normal position, whereupon latch 51 and the parts con- *nected ,thereto, which -may correspond to those described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, but not herein shown, will operate as previously described. V

' -lln the modified form, illustrated in Figure 8, the parts are the samcas those described in connection with Figure 7, except that a ledge 52, supports an angular shaped extension 53 to arm 54 and the thermostat 55 operates to disengage extension 53, by

moving into contact therewith.

formed of a length of suitable wire. lln

this connection the thermostatic element 57 will contract in the absence of heat and thereby turn rockarm- 58, against the pressure of a sprint 63 and disengage extension 61, and cause the parts connected thereto, which may be any of those described in connection with Figures 1 to 5, to operate as previously described. I

lln connection with form shown in Figures 10 and 11, the thermostat 63 operates upon the cooling of burner A to close an electric circuit by moving into contact with the'terminals 65 and 66, which are connected to the circuit wires 67 and 68. lln connection with Figure 10 the terminals 65 and 66 are carried-by an insulating body adapted to be connected to the tube of burner A,.and in this connection it-will be noted that the lower end of the thermostat is arranged so as to curve outwardly from the tube under theinfluc'nce ofheat from the burner.

In Figure. 11 the thermostatisarranged so as to operate as described in connection are 70, from a Section 71-, secured to the tube of burner A. In this-connection the tube of burner A will be sectional and the upper section of that shdwn in Figures and 11 will be suitably insulated from the lower section, not shown. Y 4

In Figure 13 the thermostat circuit closer is made up of wire or band sections 115 and or circuit closers. Sleeve '118 or non-con-' ducting material may receive the ends of sections .115 and 116 which are connected to conducting wires 67 and 68, or the sleeve 1 18 may be omitted. In any event and 'when the ends of sections 115 and'116move' into contact in the absence of heat from the burner, the circuit wires 67 and 68 will be closed. The connection between the sections 115 and 116. and collar- 117 will be such that the said sections will be electrically insulated from the collar. 1

" In the form shown. in Figure 12 the thermostat consists of a horizontally disposed element 119, corresponding to one of the sectifis 115116 or thermostatic metal 10 in curved form the said section 119 being arranged to disengage a latch, as for instance the lat'clf 12, or to close an electric circuit in which event the thermostat will be insulated from collar 120 "and'be suitably connected to a conducting wire and operatively arranged to afiix terminal shown diagrammatically in Figure 12 and indicated by 121.

Includedfin the electric circuits .contracted by the thermostat shown in Figures 10 and 11, may be an electromagnet 72, as shown in Figure 14, or solenoid 7 3, as shown in Figure 15. The armature 74, of magnet 72, is connected to the valve stem and the core 76 of solenoid 7 3, is connected by a flexible element 77, trained overpulleys 78 to the handle 79. The source of electric energy may be a battery of cells as indi- In the modified form of circuit closers shown in Figures 14, 15 and 16, a switch arm is operated by the thermostat as distin .gulshed from the structure previously de scribed wherein the thermostat functions" as'the switch arm. In Figure 14 the switch arm is pivotally connectedto a support which may form part of the appliance Bi into contact with the terminals of wires67 and 68 when the temperature of the wire is normal. 7 With this construction spring 86 will move the arm 84 to the position shown when wire 87 is attenuated by heat. Thermostat 90 in Figure 15 and that indicated by 91 in Figure 16 operate in the manner described for thermostat 87, the

thermostat 90 being arranged vertically and extendlng through the tip 6 of the pilot and secured at its upper end to a convenient portion of the appliance A. a pivot 91 connecting the lower end of the'thermostat to arm 92, pivoted to tube 5. Thermostat 91' is disposed horizontally and bears on the tip 6 with its inner end secured to a bracket;

93, carried by' tube 5 and its outer end extending through the appliance B and in operative. relation to a vertically disposed switch arm 94, similar tothe switch arm. ,84. Spring 95 -normally holds arm 94 in contact with the terminals of wires 67 and 68 and the spring 96 is disposed so as normallyto hold the free end of arm 92 in contact with the terminals of wires 67 and 68, I

- In connection with the structure shown in Figure 15 spring 96 operates to move arm 92 to close the'circuit when thermostat90 contracts in the absence of'heat from burner A, whereas in Figure 16 thermostat 91, while undergoing contraction. co-operates with spring 95 to move arm 94, soas to close the electric circuit. 7

The form shown in Figures '17. 18'and 19. the closing of the valve indicated by 97 in Figures 17 and 19 is effected by a lever 98. In the form shown in Figure 17 the lever 98 is disposed in the horizontal andfulcrumed on a bracket arm 99, carried by tube, 5. h Thermostat 100 is secured to sleeve or collar 101 which corresponds to sleeve or collar 9,

in Figure 1., and is pivotallv connected at its lower end to lever 98. The stem 102 of valve 97, which is herein shown as a globe 'valve is recessed and disposed in a casing 103, which has oppositely disposed recesses 104:, which loosely receive the free end portion of the lever 98, which extends through the recesses of the valve stem. The thermostat .100 operates when heated to elevate the free end portion of lever 98 and valve 97 against the action of spring 103, which operates to move valve 97 to its seat and main-- ta-init-there when thermostat 100 undergoes contraction in the absence of heat from theburner A. Y

In principle the form shown in Figure 18 is identical with that. shown in Figure 17 #Certain of the parts are, however, conzontally and extends through an opening in sleeve 112, connected at its outer end with Y lever 98, and its inner end secured to the bracket 110, or the appliance B. llhe connection between the lower end of. the lever and the valve 97 is similar to that described in connection with Figure 17, except, the valve and the casing therefor, together with the spring 114:, are disposed horizontally.

' With this construction the lower end of the lever is moved outwardly and spr' 1g 114 co operates therewith to seat the val e 97 when thermostat 111 contracts in the absence of heat from the pilot burner.

In the several embodiments shown the device ,operates automatically when the flame. is extinguished at the pilot burner, to close the main gas valve so that in automatic water heaters and the like, the flow of gas to the main burner will be cut off in the event that the fiamehof the pilot burner is extinguished accidentally.

ll claim:

1. lln, combination with a burner having asupply'pipe with. a valve therein, a thermostat placed relatively to the burner and moving consequent-upon the'cold or heated condition of the burner, 'a releasable catch means placed to be tripped by said thermostat when cold, and'a weight normally held.

' elevated by said catch until tripped, and.

having initially slidable connection with said valve whereby to enable the weight to acquire momentum to operate the valve, said weight having means associated therew1th-= 'for subsequently causing the valve to move with the weight at an advanced stage of the movement of the weight.

2. In combination with a pilot valve, a

.fuel' supply pipe therefor, and a valve in the pipe having a controlling member associated -means adapted to be released upon the reaction of the thermostat due to the cold condition, said weight having an initial relative' movement with respect to the valve controlling member and having means associated therewith to subsequently set up a positiveconnection between said weight and said valve controlling member whereby to utilize the momentum of the weight to close the valve when the pilot burner .is extinguished. v

3. In asafety control for gas appliance, the combination of a burner, a normally open valve controlling the supply of gas to the burner, a thermostat disposed to be atfected by the heat ot'the burner, means for automatically closing said valve, a supporting means for said last named means adapted to be released by the action of said thermostat, said supporting means adapted to slidably receive said first named means to by the final movement ht suchmeans will operate to close the valve abruptly.

4.111 a safety control for gas appliance, the combination of a pilot burner,a normally open valve for supplying gas to the burner, an operating member for the valve, a weight, a flexible supporting connection attached'to the weight and sliding through said member, said supporting connection having means thereon normally spaced above the member for striking said member to closethe valve on-the descent of the weight, and a permit the latter to have an initial movement not effecting the valve, said valve closing 7 means having connection to the valve where-- its thermostat associated with the burner for as my invention, it have signed my'name hereunder.

' GERHARDT 1F. SCHWARTZ. Witnesses MARIE Booemrro, Geo. 1E. Karena. 

